Last updated: October 11, 2026. Information checked at the time of writing.
Short answer: in Health Canada’s 2026 Canadian Nutrient File, the richest common food is “Cheese, parmesan, hard”, at 1,184 mg per 100 g. The Daily Value used on Canadian labels is 1300 mg. The table ranks 30 foods by amount per 100 g and shows the amount in a typical serving.
The ranking
| Rank | Food (CNF) | Serving | Per serving | % DV per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheese, parmesan, hard | 50 g | 592 mg | 46% | 1,184 mg |
| 2 | Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted | 60 ml | 376 mg | 29% | 989 mg |
| 3 | Cheese, cheddar, medium | 100 ml shredded | 457 mg | 35% | 956 mg |
| 4 | Cheese, mozzarella, partly skimmed (17% M.F.) | 50 g | 418 mg | 32% | 837 mg |
| 5 | Cheese, swiss (emmental) | 50 g | 344 mg | 26% | 687 mg |
| 6 | Seeds, chia seeds, dried | 60 ml | 273 mg | 21% | 631 mg |
| 7 | Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, roasted and toasted kernels | 30 ml | 130 mg | 10% | 426 mg |
| 8 | Cheese, feta | 50 g | 200 mg | 15% | 399 mg |
| 9 | Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone | 75 g | 286 mg | 22% | 382 mg |
| 10 | Fish, salmon, pink, canned, drained solids with bone | 75 g | 212 mg | 16% | 283 mg |
| 11 | Fish, caviar, black and red, granular | 15 ml | 45.0 mg | 3% | 275 mg |
| 12 | Nuts, almonds, dried, unblanched, unroasted | 60 ml whole | 97.0 mg | 7% | 269 mg |
| 13 | Seeds, flaxseed (linseed), whole and ground | 60 ml whole | 109 mg | 8% | 255 mg |
| 14 | Fish, anchovy, european, canned with olive oil, drained solids | 15 g | 35.0 mg | 3% | 232 mg |
| 15 | Soybean, fermented products, natto | 175 ml | 281 mg | 22% | 217 mg |
| 16 | Tofu, regular, medium firm or firm (prepared with calcium sulphate) | 1 serving | 256 mg | 20% | 171 mg |
| 17 | Cereal, ready to eat, Cheerios, General Mills (fortified) | 250 ml | 48.0 mg | 4% | 162 mg |
| 18 | Arugula, raw | 250 ml | 34.0 mg | 3% | 160 mg |
| 19 | Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched | 60 ml | 57.0 mg | 4% | 160 mg |
| 20 | Kale, boiled, drained | 125 ml chopped | 103 mg | 8% | 150 mg |
| 21 | Yogourt (yogurt), 2-3.9% M.F., plain | 175 g | 257 mg | 20% | 147 mg |
| 22 | Soybeans, green (edamame), boiled, drained | 125 ml | 138 mg | 11% | 145 mg |
| 23 | Collards, boiled, drained | 125 ml chopped | 142 mg | 11% | 141 mg |
| 24 | Fish, pickerel, walleye-pickerel (yellow pike), baked or broiled | 75 g | 106 mg | 8% | 141 mg |
| 25 | Dandelion greens, boiled, drained | 125 ml chopped | 78.0 mg | 6% | 140 mg |
| 26 | Tofu, regular, firm or extra firm (prepared with magnesium chloride and calcium sulphate or calcium chloride) | 1 serving | 210 mg | 16% | 140 mg |
| 27 | Plant-based beverage, almond beverage, plain, fortified, refrigerated and/or shelf-stable (fortified) | 250 ml | 347 mg | 27% | 139 mg |
| 28 | Parsley, fresh | 125 ml | 44.0 mg | 3% | 138 mg |
| 29 | Turnip greens, boiled, drained | 125 ml chopped | 104 mg | 8% | 137 mg |
| 30 | Spinach, boiled, drained | 125 ml | 129 mg | 10% | 136 mg |
Source: Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition). Amounts per 100 g and per serving as listed by the CNF; servings use CNF measures such as one Canada’s Food Guide serving of meat (75 g).
What to know
- Hard cheeses lead per 100 g; sesame seeds are the top non-dairy food.
- Canned salmon and sardines eaten with their bones are strong non-dairy sources.
See also: the beef liver guide, the organ meats guide and the best beef liver supplements in Canada.
FAQ
What food has the most calcium?
Parmesan, then roasted sesame seeds and cheddar, in the Canadian Nutrient File 2026.
How much calcium do I need a day?
The Daily Value on Canadian labels is 1,300 mg.
Before you decide: read the Rise Nutrition reviews, every product rated by verified buyers.
Written by the team at Rise Nutrition, Toronto, Canada’s single-ingredient ancestral nutrition brand. Questions: ray@risenutritions.ca
